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Smith admits London street fear Smith admits London street fear
(about 11 hours later)
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has admitted she would not feel safe walking around London after dark.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has admitted she would not feel safe walking around London after dark.
Ms Smith told the Sunday Times that she would not be comfortable alone at night in deprived parts of the capital, as well as more affluent areas.Ms Smith told the Sunday Times that she would not be comfortable alone at night in deprived parts of the capital, as well as more affluent areas.
Asked if she would feel safe walking alone in the Hackney neighbourhood, Ms Smith replied: "Well, no, but I don't think I'd have ever have done."Asked if she would feel safe walking alone in the Hackney neighbourhood, Ms Smith replied: "Well, no, but I don't think I'd have ever have done."
Labour says crime is down compared to the Tories' time in power in the 1990s.Labour says crime is down compared to the Tories' time in power in the 1990s.
'Fortunate''Fortunate'
In the interview with the Sunday Times, Ms Smith was asked why she would not feel safe on Hackney's streets at night.In the interview with the Sunday Times, Ms Smith was asked why she would not feel safe on Hackney's streets at night.
She replied: "Well, I just don't think that's a thing that people do, is it, really?"She replied: "Well, I just don't think that's a thing that people do, is it, really?"
I don't get the opportunity to get out on my own now but I certainly have done in the recent past Jacqui SmithHome SecretaryI don't get the opportunity to get out on my own now but I certainly have done in the recent past Jacqui SmithHome Secretary
She was also questioned about how she would feel if she was walking through the more affluent area of Kensington and Chelsea after dark.She was also questioned about how she would feel if she was walking through the more affluent area of Kensington and Chelsea after dark.
"Well, I wouldn't walk around at midnight and I'm fortunate that I don't have to do that," she said."Well, I wouldn't walk around at midnight and I'm fortunate that I don't have to do that," she said.
Ms Smith told the newspaper she used to walk around Redditch, her constituency in Worcestershire, but added that she no longer got the chance because she was protected by police bodyguards.Ms Smith told the newspaper she used to walk around Redditch, her constituency in Worcestershire, but added that she no longer got the chance because she was protected by police bodyguards.
"I don't get the opportunity to get out on my own now but I certainly have done in the recent past," she said."I don't get the opportunity to get out on my own now but I certainly have done in the recent past," she said.
'Kebab purchase''Kebab purchase'
Following the interview, the newspaper claimed it was contacted by one of the home secretary's aides who said that Ms Smith's remarks had not come out as she had intended.Following the interview, the newspaper claimed it was contacted by one of the home secretary's aides who said that Ms Smith's remarks had not come out as she had intended.
The aide added that Ms Smith had recently "bought a kebab in Peckham" - an area of south London considered one of the most deprived.The aide added that Ms Smith had recently "bought a kebab in Peckham" - an area of south London considered one of the most deprived.
Challenged about the comments on BBC One's the Andrew Marr show, she said: "You don't walk in areas you don't know, in any circumstances."
But she said people were "much less likely to be a victim of crime" since Labour came to power.
Figures released by the Metropolitan Police in October last year showed overall crime in London had dropped 6.1% between April and September 2007, but that gun crime had risen by nearly 10%.Figures released by the Metropolitan Police in October last year showed overall crime in London had dropped 6.1% between April and September 2007, but that gun crime had risen by nearly 10%.
Ms Smith told the newspaper the government had a "big job" to persuade people that towns and cities had not become more dangerous.Ms Smith told the newspaper the government had a "big job" to persuade people that towns and cities had not become more dangerous.
"I understand that whilst it's a fact that crime is falling, what you want to know is what's happening on your street; what the police officers in your area are doing and who they are," she said."I understand that whilst it's a fact that crime is falling, what you want to know is what's happening on your street; what the police officers in your area are doing and who they are," she said.
"That's one thing we'll provide to people. Serious violence is something we need to address.""That's one thing we'll provide to people. Serious violence is something we need to address."